THE BLOOD PHEASANTS 



are crimson tipped with grey, whilst the chin, throat and 

 chest are grey. 



Geoffry's Blood Pheasants are gregarious, and particularly 

 fond of inhabiting the bamboo jungles. 



The Northern Blood Pheasant {^Ithagenes Sinensis) 



This species inhabits the Sinling Mountains, and also 

 the higher regions north of Nanshan and Kansu. It is 

 said to differ from the last species in having a patch of 

 brown on the wing coverts, and the sides of the crest a 

 sooty brown. It is about the same size as Geoffry's Blood 

 Pheasant. 



Concerning the habits of these birds, that eminent 

 naturalist Prjevalsky says : 



"We observed this scarce species called by the native 

 Sermun, only in the Kansu Mountains, where it principally 

 inhabits the wooded districts and also ascends to the Alpine 

 regions. We did not obtain a single specimen ourselves, but 

 bought a skin from the Tanguts, who told us that these birds 

 in spring keep mostly to the edges of the forests, and about 

 the Alpine bushes, and then feed on a particular kind of grass. 

 In winter they descend to the middle and low mountain 

 ranges, where they form small companies, and pass the 

 night on trees like Crossoptilon Auritmn." 



The Blood Pheasant [likagenes Crtcentus) 



Ithagenes Cruentus is said to be very common in Nepal, 



where the birds congregate in flocks and feed in the bamboo 



III 



